1. Field of the Invention
This application concerns an improved vehicle air conditioning/heater system with operative components; compressor, condenser, evaporator, heater core and fans housed within a single enclosure adapted to insertably fit within a recess formed in a vehicle panel separating the engine compartment from the passenger compartment. The enclosure has openings therethrough which align with similar openings in the vehicle panel when the enclosure is insertably installed in the vehicle to allow air to flow into and out of the enclosure.
2. Description of Related Art
There have been previous attempts to provide a unitary or modular type air conditioning system in a vehicle. Trucks in particular have provided refrigeration units. Such units are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,363,974; 2,630,687; 2,735,277; 3,057,171; 3,475,919; and 4,217,764. These truck type units are satisfactory for trucks where there is sufficient space for relatively bulky units. Also, in trucks there is little objection to mounting the unit on the roof or some other exposed location which would be objectionable for a passenger car. Thus, the air conditioning units disclosed by these patents are not particularly applicable for the subject modular air conditioning assembly. An interesting application of air conditioning to busses is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,185,034 which includes most but not all of the air conditioning components in a removable unit. The stationary air conditioning unit disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,655 is even more inapplicable to passenger car use but does combine the air conditioning components in a unitary package.
Previous patents have disclosed modular type air conditioning units for passenger type vehicles which includes usual cars such as coupes and sedans and in addition includes small vans (minivans) as well as sport utility vehicles. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,479,170 and 2,743,589 to Kuempel disclose modular units adapted to be supported in the rear of the passenger compartment adjacent the front seat back (FIG. 1) and in the truck of a passenger car, respectively. U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,347 to Dolza discloses a unit which mounts on the engine with tubing to distribute air to the passenger compartment. Likewise, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,046 mounts the air conditioning components as a unit on the engine. The unit in U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,977 is mounted under the floor of the vehicle.